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The Enterprise Incident (episode)
After Kirk inexplicably orders the Enterprise across the Romulan Neutral Zone, it is captured by the Romulans. Summary :"Enterprise medical log, stardate 5027.3. Dr. Leonard McCoy recording; I'm concerned about Captain Kirk. He shows indications of increasing tension and emotional stress. I can find no reason for the captain's behavior, except possibly that we've been on patrol too long without relief and diversion. He has resisted all of my attempts to run a psychological profile on him." Kirk has been behaving irrationally of late, as noted in McCoy's medical log. Kirk then inexplicably orders the ''Enterprise'' across the Romulan Neutral Zone, where it is quickly surrounded by the Romulans – who are now using Klingon vessels. Subcommander Tal demands the surrender of the Enterprise. In an exchange of hostages, Kirk and Spock transport aboard the Romulan vessel, where they meet Tal's superior, a female Commander. Kirk is accused of invading Romulan space in an attempt to steal a cloaking device for study by the Federation; Spock, however, testifies that Kirk is mentally unstable and ordered the Enterprise across the Neutral Zone for his own glorification. Kirk is taken into custody. Thereafter the Romulan commander attempts to persuade Spock to side with his Romulan "cousins," take command of the Enterprise and accompany the commander back to Romulus. In the process, she attempts to woo him, which he finds moving to his Human – and emotional – side. Meanwhile, McCoy beams aboard the Romulan vessel to examine Kirk. This leads to an altercation between Spock and Kirk, in which Spock appears to kill Kirk with the Vulcan death grip. Kirk is brought back aboard the Enterprise and is revived by McCoy; the "death grip" is revealed to be a simple nerve block and the truth is eventually learned: Kirk and Spock are working under Federation orders to steal the cloaking device. Kirk is then surgically altered to appear as a Romulan. Kirk transports aboard the Romulan battle cruiser and steals the cloaking device; upon returning, Scott is ordered to install the device and make it work. :"Captain’s log, stardate 5027.4. Commander Scott has less than fifteen minutes to install the Romulan's cloaking device, and get it working. I hope Mr. Spock can buy us the time we need." The commander learns of Spock's complicity in the scheme and prepares to have him executed. While making his final statement, however, Spock is beamed back aboard the Enterprise – with the commander holding onto him. Brought to the bridge, the commander orders Tal to destroy the Enterprise, leaving Kirk to prepare to fight in case Scott is unable to install the cloaking device. The installation succeeds, however, and Enterprise escapes with the Romulan commander. In escorting her to her quarters, the commander and Spock agree that what has passed between them will be their secret. Memorable Quotes "All right, Doctor. It'd better be important..." (in sickbay) "All right, what's so important that you... Captain? ''Captain Kirk?" "''Yes?" "Oh, you look like the devil himself, but as long as you're alive; what's it all about?" "Are the Romulan hostages still aboard?" "They're in the brig, sir." "I'll need their Romulan uniforms." (chuckle) "Aye – it'll be a pleasure!" : - Scotty and Kirk, Scotty learning Kirk is still alive "What is your present form of execution?" : - Spock "That's a ''Klingon ship!" : - '''Scotty', astonished at a Klingon ship in Romulan space "It is unworthy of a Vulcan to resort to subterfuge." "You are being clever, Commander. That is unworthy of a Romulan." : - Romulan Commander and Spock "Commander, you'll forgive me if I put up a fight?" "Of course – it's expected." : - Romulan Commander and Kirk, aboard Enterprise "Then Mr. Spock ''isn't a traitor; you knew that all along and you didn't–''" "I ''didn't know until I beamed aboard the Romulan vessel; Jim and Spock were working under Federation orders." : - '''Chapel' and McCoy, reviving Kirk "It was your choice." "It was the only choice possible; you would not accept any other." "It will be our secret." : - Romulan Commander and Spock "Well, are you coming down or do you want to go through life looking like your first officer?" "Captain, please go. Somehow, they do not look as aesthetically appealing on Humans." : - McCoy and Spock, urging Kirk to have the pointed ears removed "I neglected to mention I'll expect you for dinner. We have much to discuss." "Indeed." "Allow me to – to rephrase. Will you join me for dinner?" "I am honored, Commander. Are the guards also invited?" : - Romulan Commander and Spock "Military secrets are the most fleeting of all. I hope that you and I exchanged something more permanent." : - Spock, to the Romulan Commander Background Information * This is the second and final appearance of Romulan characters in TOS. * Unlike "Balance of Terror," these Romulans don't wear black gloves. * Although long thought otherwise, from the very first draft, the script had the Romulans using Klingon ships. The series had a lot of money invested in the Klingon model and needed to get its money's worth. The rumor among Star Trek fans for many years was that the Romulan Bird-of-Prey model was damaged, causing the producers to use the Klingon ship in its place. Although it is believed to be in a private collection, the actual whereabouts of the Bird-of-Prey model remains a mystery to this day. * The Romulans have improved their cloaking system since "Balance of Terror" and "The Deadly Years." In the former, Spock refers to it as an "invisibility screen" that can mask a Bird-of-Prey's appearance, but not its motion. In "The Enterprise Incident," the cloaking device now renders a ship undetectable while moving, and not even the Romulans themselves can track a vessel so equipped. * This episode was originally aired before "Elaan of Troyius," so when the audience first saw the Klingon ships, they were being used by Romulans. * D.C. Fontana's initial inspiration for this story was the capture of an American patrol boat by North Korean forces during the Vietnam War, the Pueblo Incident. * The doors aboard the Romulan flagship make the same "shhh-thwop" sound effect as the doors aboard the Enterprise. * Originally, Spock was supposed to kiss the Romulan Commander (the first draft script describes Spock as "raining kisses on every square inch above the shoulder"), but both Nimoy and Linville agreed they needed something different than normal "human" love expressions, and suggested the hand contact instead. Nimoy, in fact, wrote a long letter of complaint to Gene Roddenberry about this issue. In Star Trek Lives, Dorothy Fontana tells how she attempted to warn Roddenberry about fan reactions if Spock were to behave out of character. She insisted that Nimoy was right, that the pair's interactions should suggest "an alien sexuality, but not Human passion". Even with Nimoy and Linville's restrained gestural contact, Fontana was flooded with letters from fans. Aware of the pon farr and believing it meant Vulcans had sex only once in seven years (Ted Sturgeon's original idea), they complained that the scene was out of character. Years later, Fontana wrote sex scenes into Vulcan's Glory, establishing that the pon farr is only a fertility cycle but that Vulcans can have sex anytime. * The Romulans use Klingon sonic disruptor pistols, undoubtedly so the production could save money by not having to build new props. * The Klingon bridge set is reused from "Elaan of Troyius." Romulans refer to their bridge as "Control Central." * The Romulan cloaking device prop consists of part of Nomad's head and a globe from "Return to Tomorrow". * The Matt Jefferies-designed Romulan symbol, composed of a yellow hexagon in the center with three colored spokes coming out of it, can be seen outside the Commander's quarters, above her door. This symbol was purposefully made to resemble the Klingon insignia, because in the visual effects shots of the ships, you can somewhat discern the Klingon markings. Unfortunately, this attractive symbol never appears again in any Star Trek series or movie. * The "forbidden corridor" on the Romulan flagship, which leads to the cloaking device room, is only a short jaunt down the hallway from the Commander's quarters. However, when Kirk (disguised as a Romulan) is seeking access to the cloaking device, he traverses a corridor that appears to be the same one the Commander and Spock used earlier, only this time, the Romulan emblem does not appear over the door to what should be the Commander's quarters. It must be inferred, therefore, that many similar corridors lead to the cloaking device room, and Kirk was using a different one. * Deflector shields are conveniently forgotten throughout this episode so that Kirk can easily "sneak" on and off the Romulan flagship via transporter. Moreover, the Romulans don't detect him doing so. * This episode features one of the longest turbolift rides in TOS, covering a distance of only one deck. When Spock is escorting the Romulan Commander to her guest quarters from the bridge, he announces "Deck 2" and the turbolift starts moving. They proceed to have a lengthy conversation before they arrive at their destination, only one deck below. * During the briefing room scene in the first act, during what's presumably a department heads' meeting to determine a course of action, in addition to Capt. Kirk, Cmdr. Spock, Lt. Cmdr. McCoy and Lt. Cmdr. Scott, two unknown characters include a command division lieutenant commander and an unknown operations division commander. Until this time, and except for Commander Giotto in "The Devil in the Dark", Spock was the only known commander commissioned on board the Enterprise. The operations-division commander may have been the security chief. * The red commander's shirt was probably first worn by Giotto in "The Devil in the Dark" (even though his given rank was lieutenant commander). The gold lieutenant commander's shirt was probably Lang's from "Arena." * Actor Mike Howden's distinctive brogue gives him away as the fellow who played Lieutenant Rowe in "I, Mudd." Here, he's the unfortunate Romulan who's guarding the "forbidden corridor" when Kirk shows up. * In the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, author Larry Nemecek reports that actor Joanne Linville was approached to reprise her role as the Romulan Commander in "Face of the Enemy." Unfortunately, she was unavailable, and the role went to Carolyn Seymour. * Although not canon, it is generally assumed that the blue liquid Spock and the Romulan Commander drink is Romulan ale. * The Romulan console that holds the cloaking device had been used before in "I, Mudd") and was used again in "Whom Gods Destroy". * Other tidbits from Fontana's first draft script, dated : **It is explicitly stated that the Romulans have an "improved" undetectable version of the cloaking device. **Both Kirk and McCoy are disguised as Romulans and steal the cloaking device. Production Timeline * First draft story outline by D.C. Fontana, . * Revised story outline, . * Revised story outline, . * First draft script, * Final draft teleplay, . * Filmed in late June 1968. Links and references Main Cast * William Shatner as Kirk * Leonard Nimoy as Spock * DeForest Kelley as McCoy * James Doohan as Scott * Nichelle Nichols as Uhura * George Takei as Sulu * Walter Koenig as Chekov * Majel Barrett as Chapel Guest Stars * Joanne Linville as Romulan Commander * Jack Donner as Tal * Richard Compton as Romulan Technical Officer * Robert Gentile as Romulan Technician * Mike Howden as Romulan Guard * Gordon Coffey as Romulan Soldier * Eddie Paskey as Leslie (uncredited) * Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli (uncredited) References centurion; cloaking device; cosmetic surgery; Klingon Empire; parsec; physiostimulator; Romulans; Romulan ale; Romulan battle cruiser; Romulan Neutral Zone; Romulan Right of Statement; Romulan Star Empire; Romulan-Klingon Alliance; Romulus; Starfleet Intelligence; subcommander; Vulcans; Vulcan death grip DVD and media information * VHS edition available through Amazon under ISBN 6300213625. * Star Trek: The Original Series, Volume 30 (original two episode single-disc release) * ''Star Trek: The Original Series'' - The Complete Third Season (disc 1 of the set) External links * * First Draft Script Review Enterprise Incident, The de:Die unsichtbare Falle es:The Enterprise Incident nl:The Enterprise Incident